Hi,

I just landed in Ethiopia with my bike and I was hoping to get a visa for Yemen. But, it seems kind of mission impossible although throughout our correspondence they said it was no problem at all! So I´m thinking of alternative routes kind of last minute and under time pressure. As my final destination is Central Asia via Iran the whole thing is a bit inconvenient as it means a big detour for me. So I would appreciate if you could guide me a little bit.

May main route was:

Ethiopia, Djibouti, Yemen, Oman, Emirates, Iran, Turkmenistan...

But now it seems that my options are as follows:

1. Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, (Israel)?, ferry to Greece or to Turkey?, Iran,Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan.... The question is how do I get from Egypt closest to Iran or Eastern Turkey as I heard that there isn´t any ferry from Egypt to Europe. In this case where shall I take the ferry, how long does it take & how much does it cost for myself and the bike?

2. Ethiopia, Sudan/Port of Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Iran... The question is if as a female solo rider I´ll be given a transit visa for Saudi Arabia. I have heard that solo female travelers under 40 will not be given any visa. No idea if riding will be help! And if so as I´ll be given only a 2 weeks transit visa for Sudan does anybody know the schedule of the ferry from Port of Sudan to Jeddah and the price?

3. Djibouti, Aqba and then...? Any idea if there is a ferry connecting the two ports or if I rather have to ship the bike and take a flight (would not like the idea at all)?

Btw, If anybody is going to be around Ethiopia I´ll be in the north for a few weeks. Just drop me a line and come by for a delicious cup of Ethiopian coffee .

Thanks a lot.
Mahsa

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I think you need a 'friend' at the Yemeni Embassy. More tea, more shmoozing. Find out where they hang out. Seriously. Don't give up on Yemen yet!

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Zero chance you will get a Saudi visa of any kind if you a woman alone. Need to be with your husband (with proof) or brother etc by law.
Maybe you if you are over 45 I think there is a slimmer of a chance?
You can't take a motorbike in either - at least from Sudan to Jeddah. Others who have managed it have locked it firmly for others.

Yemen is one of the more dangerous countries in the world at the moment. You have done some research and know what is going on there right now?

Best of luck...

Last time I was in Saudi Arabia
1) no female could be the driver of any auto/motorcycle.
2) there are no tourist visa, only business (sponsored) and transit.
Like allowing a person to travel from Kuwait to Jordon within 24 hours.

Info from 1990. I have no reason to doubt that it has changed.

In mid 2000s was still like that BajaExplorer. Women weren't allowed to drive. Well, as a matter of fact they weren't even allowed to walk on the street alone. There had to be always a male companion.

So, to the original poster, if you are a woman, then, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is off-limits for you. At least the way you intend to visit it.

Dear Mahsa and all,

Sometimes it is amazing how these threads pop up again and again:

1.) No driving / riding for females in Saudi Arabia, even though the Islamic scholars in this last bastion of "male driving only" have indicated there might be changes in the future.

2.) No visa for women travelling alone in Saudi Arabia.

3.) No motorcycles for tourists in Saudi Arabia, except it seems for some short transits on the Eastern coast (Qatar to Dubai etc.).

4.) And please: No travelling in Yemen at this time!!! The murder of two more hostages a few days ago is just another indication that this country is very definitely off limits for overlanders.

5.) Please let us stick to updated information! What sense does it make to report that women couldn't drive in Saudi in 1990?? Yes, true, it is still the same. But situations tend to change on such a short notice with regard to overlanding that in general only the most recent experiences are helpful.

Greetings,
Achim